To Summer
by tamsinmouse
Summary: My take on Carmen and the girls breaking into Gilda's at the beginning of the Third Summer.


It was a dark and stormy night.

(It was, in fact, a lovely and dusky late-June evening, but Tibby demanded that Carmen add dramatic flair.)

Bridget tilted Raisinets box 1-of-3 straight into her mouth, the clatter of chewy chocolate echoing in the yoga studio. Breaking into Gilda's had long been the four girls' start of summer ritual, with Carmen, Tibby, Bridget, and Lena each hauling ass up the alleyway fire escape to sneak into the studio unnoticed. The night's Candy Consensus was a yield of three Raisinets - none for Tibby -, four Mars bars, one Costco-sized pack of gummy worms, one box of strawberry Pop-Tarts, four Jones Sodas, and a package of Red Vines that only Carmen and Tibby would touch.

"We pity-included a Bounty bar, Lenny," said Tibby.

"You're only jealous that you don't get to eat it," said Lena, smiling and reaching to take it.

Bridget made a sound to shush them (mouth full) and called the circle to order. As always: phones off, candles lit, junk food out, and all of them slouched in varying degrees sitting on the wooden floor. Gilda's smelled like aromatherapy spritzers and feet, weirdly nostalgic as coming home.

"We're gathered here toda- mm, what sunscreen is that, Carma?" said Bridget.

"Coconut body butter."

"Body Shop?"

"Sephora."

Bridget scooted over to Carmen and deeply sniffed her arm. Not an unusual behaviour for Bee, whose love and friendship were most physical of all of them: bear hugs, tucked up close in sleep, and a general belief that whatever the others had was more delicious than Bee's own. The girls accepted that the price of loving Bridget meant disappearing bites of food and their makeup becoming sampler packs. At any given time, Bridget was wearing at least two of their things. (Tonight: Carmen's anklet and Tibby's dark blue nail polish.) None of them ever minded.

"God, that's amazing," said Bee.

"Back to business, ladies," said Tibby, ripping off gummy heads.

" _I_ don't mind pausing to be admired," said Carmen.

Bridget laughed and formally presented Lena with the list. "We're gathered here today... to listen closely to our wisest and most rule-following Sister, Lena Kaligaris."

Lena'd asked to read this year, and fake-coughed ladylike as she readied to start. "Ahem. Thank you, Bee. The Pants..."

Tibby unzipped her backpack and made a truly horrified face. "Jesus, I swear I put them..."

Carmen and Lena groaned simultaneously.

"Oh, wait, just kidding, because I take my duty super seriously and y'all can suck itttt!" laughed Tibby. She placed the Pants in the centre of them all, looking more magical at Gilda's by candlelight than any other time.

"Tonight we say goodbye to high school, and bye to Bee for a while," said Lena.

Carmen had had months to digest Bridget leaving for soccer camp, but still felt a selfish pang of wanting Bee with them instead of coaching snotty tweens.

"And we expect _many_ packages of Pennsylvania candy," said Tibby. Bee saluted with two fingers.

Lena read ceremoniously, pausing to make eye contact between each of their rules.

"1: You must never wash the Pants."

"2: You must never double-cuff the Pants, it's tacky."

"3: You must never say the word 'lit' while wearing the Pants. You must also never think to yourself 'this is lit' while wearing the Pants."

"4: You must never let a boy take off the Pants (although you may take them off yourself in his presence)."

"5: You must not pick your nose while wearing the Pants. You may, however, scratch casually at your nostril while really kind of picking. Or what we call the 'Bridget Amendment'."

"6: You must follow procedures for documenting your time in the Pants. Tagged Instagram posts don't and will never count."

"7: You must write your Sisters throughout the summer, no matter how much fun you are having without them." (Tibby snorted.)

"8: You may only possess the Pants for the specified length of time before passing them on to one of your Sisters. Failure to comply will result in a severe spanking upon our reunion."

"9: You must not wear the Pants with a tucked-in shirt and belt. See rule #2."

"10: Remember: Pants = love. Love your pals. Love yourself."

No one spoke for a full minute, they just ate and soaked up the room. South Bethesda graduation was over and this was it for the summer, only the beach house left for them at the end of August. Carmen suddenly felt her stomach drop with panic; they would really be leaving each other in September. Williams, RISD, NYU, and Brown. Carmen's thoughts darted randomly: _please come back_ , _we still have time_ , _don't go_ , _just a bit longer together_.

She looked at her fearfulness and knew without asking what the others' responses would be.

Lena: a beautifully long and silent hug.  
Tibby: a quip about planting trackers in their necks, joking to hide worry.  
Bridget: seriously (impulsively) contemplating changing schools to Williams.

Carmen loved them individually and as a whole, and as unimaginable as it was to scatter across the East Coast for college, she knew she could survive it and survive this last summer.

Tibby raised a Red Vine. "To summer."

"To summer," said Bridget.

"To summer," said Lena.

"I love you all," said Carmen.

The night began.


End file.
